The Bread-winners: A Social Study

"The Bread-winners: A Social Study" by John Hay is a story that looks closely at society during the early 1900s. It begins with Mr. Arthur Farnham, a rich man living comfortably in the busy city of Buffland. The story looks at the differences between social classes and what people want in life, mainly through the relationship between Farnham and a young woman named Maud Matchin. Maud wants to make her life better and shows the problems people from poorer families have to deal with. At first, we see Farnham thinking about his time as a military officer while enjoying his wealth. Then, Maud Matchin arrives, dressed nicely but worried about her future job chances. As she talks about wanting to work, she shares her difficulties that come from her working-class background. Maud is shown as a strong person who really wants to move up in society, which creates a contrast between what she wants and what society expects from people in their different social classes, promising a complicated look at ambition, social class, and personal relationships.